This invention relates generally to commercial cooking equipment temperature controls and particularly to means for preventing accidental disturbance thereof.
The kitchens of commercial restaurants and so-called "fast food" establishments are generally very busy, congested places. These areas include, in addition to refrigeration and food preparation equipment, cooking equipment such as ovens, griddles and deep fryers that are continually in use. Consequently the cooking equipment is positioned for ease of access, which usually means the equipment is located along heavily travelled paths. The resultant susceptibility of the cooking equipment to accidental bumping and the like can cause significant problems in a restaurant kitchen.
The cooking temperature of foods is often quite critical, especially for deep fat fried foods where the temperature of the cooking fat or oil has a marked effect on texture and flavor. If the cooking oil temperature is too high, foods tend to have a burnt taste and a very crisp exterior; if it is too low, foods tend to absorb too much fat and develop a soggy exterior. On most commercial deep fat fryers and similar cooking equipment, the temperature controls are mounted to a control panel that is positioned for easy access on the front of the cabinet. The temperature controls are adjustable and include a calibrated knob arrangement to enable the desired cooking temperature for the cooking oil or fat to be set. For a number of reasons, of no interest to this inventiion, temperature control knobs are usually positioned so that they protrude from the front of the cooking unit where they are prone to accidental bumping by persons (and objects). As mentioned, the location of the equipment in heavily travelled areas exacerbates the problem. A temperature control knob may be inadvertently disturbed and the cooking temperature of the deep fat fryer or oven changed without the knowledge of the cook or other responsible person. Thus food being prepared in that piece of cooking equipment will not cook at the proper temperature and as mentioned above, will result in either an inferior cooked product or a wasted product. Even in a situation where a person disturbing a temperature control is aware of the fact and immediately takes corrective action, the setting to which the temperature control is returned may not be the original one. Consequently there is a need in the art for a simple, low cost device which effectively precludes the possibility of the temperature control of such a cooking device being disturbed.